The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1887-07-15
Che emOa-S Star
$500 .e.s.- i'm Atlanta.
P. X 49,
- Can Advance at a Solid
Constant Vote With
FL. out Liquor.
Effects LucidIy Discussed by
Leading Paper of the City.
.onstitnllon. juno 3. ".

ever before held in a city of sixt
thousand people in which more wa
involved. The changes propose
by it were so radical as to he almOs
revolutionary. Over a hundrel
business hOnses were to be closed
Nearly five hundred men were 10 b.
forced TO give up a chosen employ
ment. The city treasury was to b.
lett with forty thousand dollars les
revenue. Trade amounting annually
to millions was to be turned away
from the city. Many business house.
were TO be left unrented. Of course
a movement proposing measures 81
radical met with the most spirited
and determined opposition. Many
of our best citizens regarded it witt
outspoken disfavOr.
1t was said that prohibition in 8
city so large as this was imprictica
BILE, that it would not prohibit, that
the trade would be injured, that
taxes would be increased, that the
stores in which the liquor business
was carried on would not be rented
for other purposes, that the same
amount of whisky would be drank
with the law as without it, the city
would Ouly miss the revenue, that
it would be a death-blOw to Allan
ta's progress.
1t has now been eighteen months
since the election, and twelve
months since the law went into IF
feet. We are prepared thus from
observation to note results.
Prohibition in this city does pro
hibit. The law is observed as well
as the law against carving conceal
ed weapons, gambling, theft and
other Offenses Of like character.
If there had been as many people
in favor of carrying concealed weap
ons, theft, gambling, etc, as there
were in favor OF the retail of ardent
spirits, twelve months ago, law
against these things would not have
been carried out as well as 1t was
against the liquor trade. In con
sideration of the small majority
with which prohibition was carried,
aud the large number of people who
were opposed to seeing it prohibit,
the law has been marvelOusly we'll
observed.
Prohibition has not injured the
city financially. According to the
Assessors books property in the
city has increased over two millions
of dollars. Taxes have not been in
creased. Two streets in the city,
Decatur and Peters, were known as
liquor streets. 1t was hardly con
Sidered proper for a lady TO walk
these streets without an escort.
Now they are just as orderly rs any
in the city. Property on them has
advanced from 10 to % cents. The
loss of forty thousand dollars eve
nue., consequent Oh closing the
saloons, has tended in no degree to
impede the city's progress III any
direction. Large appropriations
have been made to the water works,
the public schools, the Piedmont
fair and other Improvements. The
business men have raised $500, 600
to build the Atlanta and Hawkins
vile railroad. The number of city
banks is to be increased to five. The
Ocming of four new railroads has
been settled during the year. FIT
teen new stores containing house
furnishing goods have been started
since prohibition went into effect.
These are doing well. More furni
ture has been sold to mechanics and
labOring men in the last twelve
months than in any twelve months
during the history of the city. The
manufacturing establishments Of
the city have received new life. A
glass factory has been built. A
cotton seed oil mill is being built
worth 125,00O. All Improvement
companies with a basis in real eS
tute have seen their stock doubled in
value since the election on prOhitiOn
Stores in which the liquor trade
was conducted are not vacant, bur
T now occupied by other lines of
trade. According to the real estate
men more labOrers and men of lin
tied means are buying lots than ever
before. Rents + more promptly
paid than formerly. More houses
are rented by the same number of
families than heretofore. Before
prohibition. sometimes as many as
three families would live in one
house. The heads of those families
now not spending their money for
drink r each able TO rest a house,
thus using three instead one. Work
ing men who formerly spent a great
part of their money for liquor, now
spend it in food and clothes for their
families The retail grocery men
sell more goods and collect their
bills better than ever before. Thus
they are able to settle more prompt
ly with the wholesale men.
"A perceptibIe Increase has been
noticed in the number of people
who ride on the street cars. Ac
cording to the coal dealers, many
people bought coal aud stored it
away last winter who had never
been known to dose before. Others
who had been accustomed to buying
two or three tons on time. this last
winter bought seven OF eight and
paid cash for it. A leading prOprie
tor Of \ millinery store said that he
had sold more hats aud bQnnets to
~lnlnrinr mnn for fhoir Mir-nn 81